funken fome, and fome a few yards above. the level of the deep. The finest ship that ever failed would have perifhed here in a few minutes time ; but hide of bull, which covered our well-made Nevogue, ftood many a perilous thump, and brought us out into a clear fea. The gale however blowed harder ftill, and was carrying us very quick we knew not where. In conjunction with the tide, it wrung us feveral leagues away, and right glad we were, as night on a footy cloud came riding on, to reach a little spot of terra firma. We fortunately came to a ledge of low rocks, and from the dry part of them, walked into a little country that was about a mile fquare. Here we had a rest from all the dangers of the deep. We were fecured from that deftruction we must foon have experienced at fea, in a dark night, and rifing ftorm. Only those who have been in fuch like perils by water, can have a true sense of our joy. This is adventure, Mrs. Schomberg fayed. You may be Orontes now, and I the princefs Sabrina. Juft fo were they thrown on fhore: And if there be but a Polemon's houfe here, we are as fortunate as that pair. But no house could we fee. Not a human creature was there: And into a rocky cave we were glad to go. Shoneen, our waterman,ftruck a light, and fet before us our bifcuit, our

oyl,

oyl, and our wine. We fupped on an Indian brouse (a), and drank our flask of generous with chearfulness and joy; as we heared the tempeft rattle over our heads, and the ocean in a tremendous roar. Mrs. Schomberg produced from her inexhaustible fund of fpirits and good humour as many lively things as if fhe had been fitting in her own countryhoufe, and in her filver tone of voice, and rapid fwiftnefs of throat, felicitated the night with feveral fongs. She rendered this defolate, difmal fpot, a delightful place. Good humor, harmony, and fenfe, can produce a happyness almost every where.

The next morning we thought to depart, but the water was too rough, and fo it continued, with terrible fquawls of wind all day. It was the fame weather Wednesday, the following day, and on Thursday we had a wind that would have removed the little inland, if that was poffible to be done by a ftorm. Our cave then proved a pleasing habitation; and as we had bread and wine enough, and oyl for eating and our lamp; as there was a fountain of fresh water on the land, the air very warm, and coats to lie on,

(a) An Indian broufe is fea-bifket softened in fresh water, and a little falt, oyl and vinegar thrown over it. It is very good eating where no better is to be had.

there

there was no great caufe to complain. Befide, Shoneen had his fifhing tackle, and caught at times feveral kinds of fish, which he broiled for us very well, and roafted many excellent eggs. It was really a scene pleafing enough for three days.

When Friday came, the weather was extreme fine, and again I handed my sparkling companion into our barge. The sky was all over blue, and we had a glorious morning fun. The ocean was fmooth as a mirror, and Shoneen, our waterman, whisked the Currough along. (a). But after he had been working the Nevogue for three hours, and that during the last, we had loft the lamp of heaven in a cloud, he stopped at once, and told us he believed he was going wrong; for we had been carried fo far out to fea, that he knew not where he was, as there was no fign of any land: But as I had a very good compass to my watch, which had guided me over many a defart ground, I could af

(a) Lloyd, bishop of Worcester, fpeaking of Reuda, king of Dalred, in Ireland, his coming over to Scotland with his grim herds of Irifhmen, to harass the country of the Britains, and carry their cattle away, in the reign of Conftantius, the fon of Conftantine, calls thefe hide-machines curroughs. Hift. of Church Govern ment, p. 15. etc.-By the way, a fenfelefs ftory. You will find fome good remarks upon it in Gordon's Itinerary, p. 141-145.

ing at

Scalpa.

tion by the

fure him he was right, and bid him pull away, or, if weary, to let me take the oar. This gave him new life, and between us both we made a fhift to get into the black bay of Scalpa, as the fun was going down. Quite weary of the water by this time, we were very glad to land, and led up my fair companion to the habitable part of the

ifle.

Our land... Here we were received in a manner the moft humane, by fixty men and women, and recep- who are, with a few children, the inhabiinhabitants.tants of this fpot. They were vaftly furprized at the vifit, but greatly pleased with our coming. You are welcome, pilgrims, they repeated feveral times in their language, which is the Irish tongue; and as Mrs. Schomberg fpeaks it well, (having lived feve ral years in the country of Ireland, while a young girl), they fhewed a moft extraordinary fondness and refpect for her. Their chief, who was the oldest and most substantial man amongst them, brought her and me to his cottage, which was feparated a few yards from the other little houfes, and confifted of feveral very neat fmall rooms. His pretty daughter produced the beft provifions they had, and gave us fifh and eggs and potatoes, and oat cake and goat butter, and goats milk, in great plenty. She likewife fet a bottle of whisky, or aqua vitæ upon the table; and her brother, who had been a traveller, as

L

his father told us, that is, had been in fome of the wild parts of Ireland, entertained us with feveral tunes on a harp. The daughter likewife fung fome pretty Irifh fongs, and fung them well. Every thing was beautifully fimple, good, and pleafing. We had all the inhabitants of the country about us, and they could not enough wonder at Mrs. Schom berg. Her fpeaking their language so fluently, and presenting the women with feve tal little toy-prefents the brought with her on purpose, were things that quite charmed them: And her drefs and fine face there was no end of their admiring.

At last we retired, and in a coarse clean bed, I flept like one of the dead till morning, when I arose betimes to look over the little country I was in. I found the inhabitants all bufily employed. Some of the men were digging, others fifhing, or making nets for water and land, two were at the loom, and a few in a frightful fituation on the rocks to get birds eggs. Of the women fome were milking the goats, and others fpinning flax and wool. Some were grinding the quern, and every foul of them hardly engaged. I I faw not any tradefman among them, excepting the two weavers: But they told me the women could make cloaths for male and female; and the men, fuch fhoes and other rough things of every kind as they wanted: And

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